Panama: North Korea to pay fine for release of ship found with weapons

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Weapons found on North Korean ship

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Panama says it found fighter jets, explosives aboard North Korean ship last year

North Korea has agreed to pay $666,666 for the release of the ship, Panama says

Most of the ships crew members will also be allowed to leave the country

The weapons came from Cuba, which said they were going to be repaired in North Korea

North Korea will pay a fine of more than half a million dollars next week for the release of a ship that last year tried to cross the Panama Canal with weapons smuggled aboard, Panamanian authorities said.

Panama stopped the North Korean cargo ship, the Chong Chon Gang, in July and found undeclared weaponry from Cuba -- including MiG fighter jets, anti-aircraft systems and explosives -- buried under thousands of bags of sugar.

Panamanian authorities had originally imposed a $1 million fine on North Korea over the shipment, which they said violated the security of the canal, a key waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.